Trekkup Dubai ✔

Brace yourself for beautiful views…

Sapa is a mountainous district of Lao Cai province in Northern Vietnam, located at an altitude of 1600 m above sea level in the province of Lao Cai, in the Northwest region of Vietnam. It is situated approximately 380 km from the capital of Vietnam - Hanoi.

This remote settlement, also known as the "Alps of Tonkin", is culturally uber-rich, inhabited by numerous mountain tribes, such as Hmong.

Sapa owes its fame to surroundings of cascading rice fields and tiny villages nestled on the slopes of mountains, which seem to be isolated from the rest of the world. All of this is surrounded by the highest mountain peaks in Vietnam, with Mount Fan Si Pan at the forefront.

The hills of Sapa valley offer great terrains for trekking. High mountains, valleys, rice terraces, villages and the opportunity to meet indigenous locals makes this place a living stereotype of an idyllic, lost in time village life.

Let’s go!

DAY 1 : Hanoi - Sapa
Immigration clearance, head to the city for a city walk and sample some local delicacies. Towards the evening, transfer to Hanoi train station and hop on a deluxe night train to Sapa. Sleep aboard the train.

Day 2 : Sapa- Mong Sen Bridge to Ta Phin- Sapa
Wake up in Lao Cai station, transfer to Sapa for breakfast and shower. Gear up for some spectacular scenery! We continue village walks to ethnic school for light lunch before continue the afternoon trek to the Red Dao minority in the village of Ta Phin.

Trek: 5 – 6 hrs, 12-13 km

Day 3 : Mt. Fansipan by Cable Car – Love Waterfall – Silver Fall- Mu Cang Chai
After breakfast, we hop on our scenic transfer to Silver Waterfall, the highest waterfall in Vietnam with a 300-meter drop. Next, we will head cable car station of Mt Fansipan, known as the ‘Roof of Indochina, standing proud at 3143m. Some stunning views await us here! The lush green and subtropical vegetation make this mountain truly beautiful.

Trek: 2-3 hrs, 5-7 km

Day 4 : Mu Cang Chai – Hua Khat Village – Tu Le
After having breakfast at the homestay, we will walk to visit Hua Khat Village, which is home to the Hmong Tribe. It will be a great day for photo opportunities with the amazing landscape of terraced rice paddies, cross Cao Pha Pass on the bumpy road and visit a bee-growing farm and some minority groups along the way until we reach Tu Le.

Trek: 3-4 hours, 8-9 km

Day 5: Tu Le – Hanoi
Morning is the perfect time to explore the Tu Le terrace field, which provides ample opportunities to capture stunning photos of rice, particularly during the golden hour. The field stretches over a vast area of golden terrace fields. Next, we will visit Tien Nu Cave, which is linked to a well-known Thai legend dating back 300 years.

Trek: 2-3 hrs, 5-7 km

DAY 6: Hanoi- Halong Bay
Our luxury train will arrive in Hanoi in the early morning. Transfer to a local café for some rest and breakfast before traveling to Halong Bay.
Upon arrival, we will transfer to a shared wooden junk boat for a 2-day cruise among the limestone islands. The boat is one of the traditional varieties. We will start with a fresh seafood lunch on board as the captain sets sail, visit Dinh Huong Island, stop to explore the impressive Sung Sot Cave known for its remarkable stalactites and stalagmites.

DAY 7: Halong Bay – Hanoi
The sound of the ocean slowly takes you into new morning. Start the day with Tai Chi exercise while watching the sunrise over the bay. After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto before returning to the boat for a final view of Halong Bay.
Transfer to Hanoi, free time at leisure. For advanced, experience the nightlife of Hanoi.

DAY 8: Departure
Leisure day for relax. Tạm biệt việt nam!

Grade: Easy, trails are not difficult but muddy in places.
Activities: trekking, sightseeing, experiencing indigenous cultures, sailing.
Accommodation: 3-4 star hotels - double sharing, overnight train – superior cabin, 1 night guesthouse, 1 night onboard cruiser.
Meals: included in Sapa, excluded in Hanoi, due to variety.

Cost: 4500 AED excl. flights until SEP 30th
Flights: Not included in trip budget. Emirates at approx. 3600 AED.

Specifically excluded: Flights, visas, meals in Hanoi.
Visas: E-visa or visa upon arrival. Visa support available.

See yah in Sapa x

Sierre Leone and Freetown, Liberia and Monrovia - freedom country and freedom town - two destinations where slavery and emancipation take on a whole new meaning, with one being the site of African resettlement from Europe and the other from America, these are lands of searing heritage.

Sierre Leone’s Freetown, with its vast beaches along the peninsula, lively surfing culture, chimpanzee sanctuary among the rainforests, and nearby islands with decaying slave fortresses, or another with butterfly colonies and pygmy hippos!

Bunce Island, where trading in gold, ivory, cane wood, and slaves in the tens of thousands was launched from a fortress all the way across the Atlantic to the Americas, where the vast majority of the slaves of the Antebellum south came from. Today it’s a ruin of old stone and rusty cannons but the memories of this place continue to haunt.

Just a little bit American and kind of West African, Liberia is unlike anywhere you’ve been before, with mountains to climb, world’s most beautiful beaches to surf and swim, vast parks full of untouched wildlife, city scenes out of the American south, and founded as the homeland of freed American slaves, it’s a step off the map into Africa’s last frontier!
Monrovia is a scene of stately ruins, like the Hotel Ducor and it’s famous swimming pool, or the Masonic Temple’s peeling paint, broad streets of plantation-style mansions and Antebellum architecture, a marked contrast to Freetown’s Portuguese influence. You’ll even find a few speakers of “Pidgin” English, if you listen carefully!

Let’s go!!

Day 1 :: Arrival + Firestone, The Rubber Tree Forests

Liberia is the only country that has never been either a colony or a protectorate; it was founded by Krio, freed slaves who returned to Africa from the US, hence the name "Liberia: the country of freemen". Krio make up 5% of the population and control a large part of the economy and politics; they are considered the creators of the nation and the modern economy. 80% of the population speaks the Krio language, which is a form of "Pidgin" English.

Immigration clearance and proceed to on a rough road through a spectacular rubber plantation forest called Firestone, the largest contiguous rubber plantation in the world, located in Harbel, Liberia, which first opened in 1926. In the mid-1990s, former Liberian President Charles Taylor's soldiers, many of whom were children, raided the Firestone plantation for fuel and supplies. Firestone pulled its executives out and left the plantation, and many of the company's Liberian workers were later killed. After the civil war, the company revived its operations and is now back on track. After a tour of the plantation and the surroundings, head to our ecolodge for overnight stay.

Day 2 :: Libassa + Monrovia

Leisure morning in tropical idyll setting. For curious, exploration of the site in a search for Pangolins - live a dream of Liberia's wild and unspoilt nature. Later in a day, its time to head to Monrovia city.

Check in to hotel, start exploring Monrovia, we’ll pass by many curiosities including the Temple of Masonic Lodge, the most significant symbol of the Krio culture and the abandoned Ducor Palace Hotel (or what remains of it), a former luxurious hotel with a swimming pool overlooking the ocean. We ll also learn about the Mende people and the Bundu Mask in the forests outside the city. Head back to our hotel in the evening for dinner and rest.

Day 3 :: Crossing to Sierra + Tiwai

Check out from hotel and head to Sierra Leone on slightly better roads towards the border.

Bye bye Liberia!

Further on the boats to Tiwai Island for some monkey jumping, bird calls, and maybe a crocodile or two. If we’re really lucky, we’ll spot the elusive Pygmy Hippo!

Day 4 :: Tacugama via Bo

After binch beans and some coffee, we’ll head out to the second capital of Sierre Leone, the bustling Bo before moving on to Tacugama Chimp Sanctuary, home to many chimpanzees who have become injured and need help returning to the wild. We’ll drive into the hills for a panorama of the city and charming sunset.

Day 5 :: Bunce and Tasso Island

Bunce Island, made famous for being the last stop on the slave trade before being sent off to the Americas. The island was declared a national monument in 1948. A major European commercial fort was built here during the slave trading era, serving as a meeting place for European traders and African merchants. Over 50,000 slaves—women, children, and aged men—were transited to the Americas. The trading of slaves, gold, ivory, and cane wood was prevalent during the 1800s, and many slaves sent to South Carolina and Georgia were traded on this island. See and feel the island by touching the history yourself.

Day 6 :: Banana island + Freetown City Tour

Morning set out towards Kent for Banana Island, where we spend half day swimming and getting to know the local community, explore the Portuguese influence, and learn the ways of the Krios peoples of this former slave island.

After lunch, return to the city, start with visiting the National Museum and the Big Market, which operates daily. It is a covered market selling a range of crafts, bric-a-brac, traditional medicines, and mystical items.

Day 7 :: Crossing to Conakry

Bye-bye Sierra Leone!
Early in the morning crossing to Guinea Conakry, check in to hotel, city tour.

Day 8 :: Isles de Los

We will end up our trip with idyllic escape to Iles de Los, tropical paradise of 3 islands, for some swimming, relaxing or just playing beach football with the kids.

Day 9 :: Departure back to Dubai

Its time to head to airport for return flight home, Bye Bye West Africa!

Grade: Easy - available for everyone.
Activities: Trekking, boating, swimming, sightseeing.
Accommodation & meals: hotels, meals excluded.

Cost: 9,250 AED excl. flights. Cost valid until SEP 30th.

Flights, approx. 3400 AED:
Day 1 DXB-ROB Ethiopian
Day 9 CKY-DXB Emirates

Specifically excluded: flights from Dubai, visas, restaurant meals.

Visas:

Sierra Leone: E-visa 85 USD
Liberia: Pre-arranged visa 110 USD
Guinea Conakry: E-visa 85 USD

See yah in West Africa x

The “Rainbow Island” of Hormuz has earned its nickname from the many colours of the surrounding waters due to high concentration of iron oxides and the darker sand below which makes the waves take on intense red hues.

The smallest of the Iranian islands along the Hormuz Strait at mere 42 square kilometres makes Hormuz the wildest and least populated of the chain with some of the most pristine beaches around! The entire reservoir of the island is salty due to high humidity and lack of rainfall with the only fresh water pumped from nearby Bandar Abbas. Lucky for Hormuz this water has fed the growing white mangroves and Hara trees in such a harsh climate.

With such high concentrations of salt, the island is filled with such curiosities and formations throughout, from salt caves with odd formations, landscapes of colourful red slopes, and the flagship of Rainbow Valley with its hills of intense reds, oranges, and yellows covered with an efflorescence of salt. With such a mosaic of colours you’ll think you’re in a fairy tale!

Nature plays the artist, and the locals have a style for names with the Saffron River Valley, Snowy Mountains, and Turquoise Goddess just a few of our many stops. With such an artistic flair the island even has a sand painting festival, we’ll surely see their works in coloured sand on the slopes.

Life on the island, especially for its 7000 inhabitants, still follows the patterns of tradition, speaking a mix of Farsi, Hindi, Arabic, and English. We’ll wander the labyrinth of streets with stops at the 16th century Portuguese fortress Ghal’e-ye Portoghaliha and the “Presence of Hormuz” with its multi-coloured domes.

To reach the island we travel to mainland Iran on direct flight to Bandar Abbas where we’ll catch a glimpse of the city and nearby Khorasan.

We invite you to open the next unknown chapter of Iran!

Let's go!!

Day 1 // Bandar Abbas

Meeting in Terminal 2 at 15:00 for direct flight to Bandar Abbas at 17:00. First stop will be Hindu temple and relax in old Hammam. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Day 2 // Hormuz Island

After breakfast we’ll hop on boat to Hormuz Island with first stop at the Portuguese fort. Afterwards we’ll take in the colours at rainbow cave, work up a thirst at the Goddess of Salt and browse the Valley of Statues, and few stops along the way. Evening return to Bandar Abbas for yet another visit to the spa.

Day 3 // Khorasan

Today we head to Khorasan with the salt cave of Khorasan Siaho with its salt waterfall, varied cressets and salt columns and a few curiosities along the way. In the evening we’ll return to airport for flight back home.

Activities: Boating, trekking, sightseeing, swimming.

Duration: Weekend FRI - SUN

Accommodation and meals: hotel double sharing, meals included.

Cost: 3,600 AED all incl. flights until OCT 08 - cash payment during briefings only.

Specifically excluded: Visa cost (we will apply on your behalf), insurance.

VISA:
No more passport stamps in Iran. Most nationalities are eligible for E-visa.

UK, USA, Canada – visa lead-time min. 45 days.

See yah on Rainbow Island x

Turtles are no doubt the national animals of Oman. Those mysterious creatures are in fact air breathing reptiles and so they need to surface every couple of hours, depending on activity. A resting or sleeping turtle can remain underwater for 4-7 hours.

The green turtles - subject of our discovery, spend their whole life in the water. Only at the age of 37-40 yo, and only female turtles, crawl up the sand beaches to lay the eggs. This is an enormous effort to the animal which is not used to tis environment. You can probably only understand how difficult it is for them, when you see the female crawling back, without any energy left, back to the ocean, after only few hours spent on shore.

Adult green turtles are as big as 1.5 metres and weight upto 190 kg. Baby turtles are not bigger than 10cms and start their lives with the most dangerous journey - from the sands they were born at - to the sea. Most of them will do it at night, trying to avoid hungry foxes, crabs or birds.

There are plenty of other interesting aspects - for example gender of baby turtle depends on the sand temperature in which eggs are hatching. If sand temperature is less than 28C, those will be males, above 28C - females. Now just imagine, how global warming can reduce their population.

In OCT, the sand incubation of eggs comes to an end, baby turtles hatch and start their march to the sea creating emotional moments for cheering spectators!

We will have enough time to explore two of the most beautiful nature wonders nearby - Wadi Shabb and Bimah Sinkhole. Great for exploration in the spring/summer, with year round chill water, those two have been serving as a natural water park and inspiration for Wild Wadi alikes.